Auto artist makes his mark with Sharpies

You could say a movement began when Jona Cerwinske had at it with a Sharpie on a Lamborghini. He didn't deface its beauty (though that could be argued) but rather transformed it into an art car of sorts, inspiring several others to follow his trail.

Some three years later, 24-year-old Chris Dunlop of Frederick, Md., tried out the idea on a Cadillac. Sometimes called Pinstripe Chris for his custom auto painting work, he completed his first Sharpie car in California, after his client flew him out in March.

"He wanted a paint job," Dunlop said. "He didn't know he was going to get Sharpie."

Dunlop rented a warehouse and used black Sharpies on the gold Caddy, covering about a third of the car with original art.

Dunlop's latest project is a 1985 Pontiac Fiero, which displays historic tags but has only about 80,000 miles on it. While standing next to it in Baker Park, passing cars slowed down or stopped to check it out — in the rain. The car is eye-catching, to say the least.

For the Fiero, Dunlop is using black Sharpie on top of the white — or, rather, "Vanilla Milkshake" — body paint, but he has toyed with the idea of including color.

Tribal, tattoo-like designs of arrows, dots and skulls cover one side of the Fiero. In a tribute to the original Sharpie automobile art, he drew the Lamborghini insignia on the hood.

On the Cadillac hood, Dunlop had drawn the Cadillac logo.

Some recurring themes can be seen in his art, but he said there's really little to no planning involved. He makes stuff up as he goes, he said.

"I buy them in boxes," he said of the Sharpies.

Note: These are the industrial-strength version of the typical Sharpies, so they are a stronger black (regular Sharpies have a purple tint) and hold up better in the weather. Regular Sharpies can be cleaned off.

"I've done a ton of research on Sharpies," Dunlop said. "They should pay me to be a rep."

He sometimes demonstrates his technique for people who are curious.

Meanwhile, he keeps up with his regular freelance gigs of freehand pinstriping cars and motorcycles, airbrushing and painting flames.

He's been working in body shops for about five years, he said, but doesn't work for any particular company.

He's new to Sharpies but expects another few cars by the end of the year, though he won't accept help.